This invention relates to gas turbine engines and more particularly to the support of stator vanes in such an engine.
A gas turbine engine has a compression section, a combustion section and a turbine section. A rotor extends axially through the turbine section and the compression section. Rows of rotor blades extend outwardly from the rotor. A stator circumscribes the rotor. The stator includes an engine case assembly and rows of stator vanes supported from the case assembly.
Patents showing such constructions are U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,066 to Canova et al. entitled "Gas Compressor" and U.S. Pat. No. 2,997,275 to Bean et al. entitled "Stator Structure For Axial Flow Fluid Machine".
Differences in thermal growth between the vane and the case assembly cause thermal stresses. Vibrations in the vanes cause vibratory stresses. Accordingly, scientists and engineers seek support structures having an ability to dampen vane vibration and to accommodate differences in thermal growth between the case assembly and the stator vanes.